Incubator



March 25 1924.`

. 4 J.l G. POORMAN INGUBATOR Filed July 11 1921 @o .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TQWY/ M Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

JOHN G. POORQWAN, OF TINLEY PARK, ILLINOIS.

INCUBATOR.

application ined' :muy` 11',

To all whom c' may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN G. PooRMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tinley Park, in the county of Cook and State ot Illinois, have invented new and usci-'ul Improvements in Incubators, of `which the following isa; specification.

My primary objects are to provide a novel, simple and inexpensive construction of incubato'r by which the functions for which such' structures are provided may-t be performed in a highly advantageous manner, to the end that positive and accurate control of the heat to the chambers to which the heat is e supplied, particularly in the: hatching, of

eggs, may be effected and thereby losses, suchA as now commonly occur by reason of inadequate control andl regulation'of the heat, will be avoided; to pro-vide for the proper heating of the incubating chambers without danger of contaminating the air by the products of combustion of the heating means employed, and to cause the air supplied to these chambers to present the desired degree of moisture; to provide a construction of incubator by which the Dair to be supplied to the incubator chamber notV required to be heated to as high a degree as' in4 constructions as hitherto provided; and other object-s as willV be manifest from thev following description. y

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an incubator installation constructed in accordance with my invention,the doorpfor one ot the incubator chambers being shown in raised position. Figure 2 is la plan view oli' the structure shown in Fig. 1, with aV portion of the roof of one of the incubator chambers broken away to disclose an terior detail. Figure 3 is a crosssectional view, with certain parts broken away, of, one' of the similar incubator units shownrin Figs. 1 and 2. Figure 4 is a. planview, with certain parte shown in section, of the structure shown in Fig. 3; and Figure 5, a section taken' at the line 5 5 on Fig; 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

ln view of the fact that I prefer to employ two incubator chamber units with each heater, as for example'a kerosene lamp,but without anyy idea otlimiting my invention thereby, I have'illustrat'edlmy invention as embodied in such a duplex arrangement, the incubator chamber units which are represented at 6 and arranged in spaced rela- 1921. serial No. asaeeal tionbeing located at opposite sides of a source of heat, as for example a kerosene lamp 7, the upper portion of which opens into a drum 8 open at its lower end but closed at its upper end, this drum being provided with opposite]y-extending pipe sections 9 communicating therewith and through which the air in thedrum S, hea-ted by the lamp 7, and the products or" combustion from the latter, pass in opposite directions'into the incubator chamber units as hereinafter described, and for the purpose of supplying thereto the desired amount of heat.

Each of the units 6 is of the same construction and therefore the description as to one will sulice for both. The'incubator unit is shown' as comprising a boxf'like casing 10 mounted upon' legs 11 and provided at its opposite, open, ends with doors 12, shown as hingedly connected with the casing 10, as indicated at 13, and affording means for access to the interior of the incubator chamber provided by the spacewi-thin the casing 10 and represented at 14, these doors when closed serving to substantially close the chamber 14E to the atmosphere. Vhere the incubator is to be used for hatching eggs, the eggs by preference would be located on trays, one of which isrepresented at 15, and introduced into the incubator chamber 111' through the opposite ends thereof to rest upon tray-supporting flanges 14 provided within the chamber 14; p

The casing 10 is provided intermediateits ends with a drum 1G, as shown, formed ot sheet metal and extending crosswise of the, chamber 171- and preferably entirely vacross the latter, as shown, and reaching from the top to the bottoni of the chamber to divide the latter into the coi'npartments 14 and 14h. The drumis shown as of rectangular shape in cross-section andcont'ains a pipe 17 which extends lengthwise thereof' and is spaced from the bottom ot the drum, the ends 18 and 19 of this pipe extending beyond the ends of the drum, the interior of the pipe 17 being out ot communication with the interior `of the drum 16. The pipe 17 is connected at its end portion' 18 with one of the pipesections 9 whereby theheated air and the products of combustion discharging 'from the'drum S through one of the pipes 9, `pass through thev pipe"174 for heating the air wit-hin thel drum 16, the end portion 19 of the pipe 17 being provided with a vent pipe 2O which opens at its upper end beyond the drum 16, through the top of the pipe 17, the lower open end ot this vent pipe extending to a point a slight distance above the bottom ot the pipe 17 and serving as a vent tor the air and products of combustion passing through the pipe 17 as stated. rlhe drum 16 is provided with upper and lower partitions 21 and 22 which extend from the top ot the drum 16 to the top of the pipe 17 and from the bottom of the drum 16 to the lower surface of the pipe 17, respectively, thereby to divide the drum 16 into two co1n partments 23 and 24, these compartments extending lengthwise ot the drum 16 and being provided in the lower portions of their outer walls, with openings 25 and 26, respectively, shown as equipped with pipe sections, these openings communicating with the interiors of the compartments 14 and 14b respectively. The opposite side walls ot the drum 16 are provided with series ot openings arranged lengthwise ol the drum and preferably equidistantly spaced apart, these openings, which are shown live in number, but the number of which may be varied, though it is preferred that each side contain not less than tive, being represented at 27 and located adjacent the top of the drum, these openings communicating with laterally-extending, I )reterably parallel, pipes 28, the pipes communicating with one series of the openings 27 extending out into the compartment 14u and the pipes communicating with the other series ot openings in the drum 16 extending out into the compartment 14b, all as illustrated in the drawings, there being provided for application to the outer open ends of the pipes 28, as conditions may render it advisable, caps 29 which serve to close the ends ot' the pipes to which they are applied and prevent discharge of warm air from the particular pipes thus capped, two ot the pipes 28 being shown as capped in Fig. 2. The drum 16 shown as provided with a pipe 30 open at its upper end and opening at its lower end into the interior ot the drum at opposite sides of the partition 2], the top wall ot the drum being also provided with pipe sections 31 and 32 open at their upper ends and opening at their lower ends, respectively, into the compartments 23 and 24, it being intended that, in practice, the pipes 31 and 32 be provided with damper means, not shown, such as are commonly used in incubator structures and controlled by any suitable thermostatic means, for automatically controlling the temperature within the compartments 14"L and 14h, to effect the maintenance ot the desired temperature in these compartments, it being understood that the controls for the pipes 31 and 32 would, by preference, be independent ot each other so that different temperatures could be maintained in the compartments 14a and 14b respectively, it desired.

The drum 16 also contains, in its lower wall, a pipe section 33 open at its lower end and opening at its upper end into the drum at opposite sides of the partition 22, and thus into both compartments 23 and 24, a slight distance, preferably Tlf or so, above the bottom of the drum 16.`

ln accordance with one of the features ot' my invention the air which is caused to circulate over the eggs on the trays, is moistened, this being effected in the particular construction shown by so forming' the drum 16 that its lower port-'ion will hold a body ot' water such as represented at 34 and which preferably is maintained therein at a depth of about the pipe section 30 being provided as a'means ot charging the water into the drum 16 to provide the bath referred to.

rThe operation or" the construction shownV is as follows: Assuming the lamp 7 to be burning, the hot products ot combustion derived therefrom, and the air entering the drum 8 at its open, lower end, pass upwardly and thence outwardly through the pipe sections 9 into the pipes 17 and discharge trom the latter to the atmosphere exterior of the chambers 10, through the vent pipes 20. Thus heating the pipe 17 heats the air in the drum compartments A3 and 274, the air rising therein and passing into the pipes 28 from which it discharges at the outer ends ot the latter into the compartments 14a and 14". rlhe drum compartments 23 and 24 being open to the interiors ot the compartments 14a and 141 through the medium-ot' the pipes 25 and 2G, respectively, means are thereby provided whereby the air .in the compartments 14 and 141 is caused to circulate therein, vthe air passing trom these drum con'ipartments through the pipes 28 through the compartments 14a and 14h the pipes 25 and 26 andbacl; to the drum compartments, it being observed that the compartments 23 and 24 are closed to each other through the medium ot the partitions 21 and and the pipe 17 so that the air circulation in the compartments li i id 14" is independent as to each compartment. The damper-controlled outlets 31 and 32 of the drum compartments 23 and 24, respectively, serve as llO a means whereby a certain control ot the temperature in the compartments 14L and 14h, may be effected independently ot each other, the greater the opening ot the dainpers in these outlets, the greater the escape ot' heated air from these drum compartments and the cooler the temperature ot the compartments 14a an-d 14h, the pipe section 33 serving as a means through which fresh air is permitted to enter the drum compartments. Y

The provision ot the water bath 34 in the Crt bottoms of the drum compartments serves, by its exposure to the heat in these compartments, to charge the air therein, with moisture, thus supplying to the interiors of the compartments 14a and14b air charged with moisture to the desired degree which, as hereinbefore explained, is an advantage in incubator constructions.

The feature of providing the series of outlet pipes 28 in the compartments 14a and 14b and leading from the heated air drum 16, especially in connection with the thermostatic control for the outlets 31 and 32, is of great advantage, as it is-possible, by capping any one each series, as by the caps 29, to cause the compartments 14Z1 and 14h, the teniperature in which is controlled separately of each other, to be heated by heated `air introduced therein from any number of these pipes as desired, this arrangement enabling the operator to have substantially perfect control of the temperature in the egg compartments, it being understood that these incubators are operated usually during all seasons of the year and are subjected to atmospheric temperatures of wide ranges. Furthermore, the provision of the heating means, shown as the lamp 7, between the two incubator units, is of advantage as it insures, in a construction involving one heating means for several of the incubator units, the uniform heating of both units.

It will also be noted that in accor-dance with the preferred construction illustrated, the heated air drum 16 is of relatively large cross-sectional dimensions, the inclusion of this feature in an incubator apparatus serving to insure the circulation of air best suited for the hatching of eggs, through the compartments 14a and 14h.

It will also be observed that by the provision of the series of pipes 28, a relatively large number of conduits, of very substantial cross-section, are provided for the carrying of the air from the drum compartments 23 and 24 into the'compartments 14' and 14h, this arrangement, as I have demonstrated, iii-practice pern'iitting of the employment of much less heat, for maintaining a given temperature in the compartments 14a and 14D, than is required where the air-circulating means are provided in accordance with the prior practice. i

The provision of the vent pipe 20 which extends to a point close to the bottom of the pipe 17 is of advantage, as thereby the major portion of the heating medium traversing the pipe 17 is required to flow in an indirect course to its outlet from the pipe 17, as compared with the direct course Vwhich would be followed by the heating medium if the outlet from the pipe 17 were at the top of this pipe.

Furthermore it will be noted that while or more of the pipes of Y the heat generated by the heating means is conserved and utilized to the maximum extent, a practically perfect control and distributioul of the heat supply to the compartments 14 and 14b for heating them substantially uniformly to any desired temperature is effected, and adequate provision isv made for preventing the products of combustion generated by the heating means from entering the compartments 14a and 14h, whereby danger of the air in these compartments becoming contaminated, with the manifest disadvantage, is reduced to the minimum.

While I have illustrated and described my invention as embodied in a particular construction, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of my invention, and in this connection it may be stated that while the arrangement of a plurality of compartments, such as the compartments 14a and 14b heated from a single air pipe 17 and heated air drum 16 cooperating therewith, is a desirable one, certain features of my invention may be embodied in a structure in which but4 a single compartment is to be heated.

l/Vhat l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an incubator, the combination of a plurality of chambers to be heated, a drum .located between said chambers and provided with series of outlets in opposite walls thereof opening into said chambers, respectively, partitioning means in said drum dividing it into compartments into which said series of outlets open respectively, said partitioning means including a pipe out of communication with said drum, and means for heating said pipe to heat the air in said drum.

2. In an incubator, the combination of a plurality of chambers to be heated, a drum located between said chambers and provided with scries of outlets in opposite walls thereof opening into said chambers, respectively, partitioning. means in said drum dividing it into compartments into which said series of outlets open respectively, said partitioning means including a pipe ont of communication with said drum, and means for heating said pipe to heat the air in said drum, the compartments of said drum also containing openings communicating with the interiors of said chamers for the passage of air into said compartments from said chambers.

3. In an incubator, the combination of chambers to'be heated, a drum located between said chambers, said drum being provided in its opposite walls, adjacent the upper ends thereof, with a series of pipes opening into the drum and at their outer ends opening into said chamber, said pipes being located along said drum at spaced intervals, partitioning means dividing saidv drinn lengthwise into compartments into which the said series of pipes open, respectively, said partitioning :means including a pipe located in said drinn and extending lengthwise thereo't1 and closed to the interior of said drum, and heating means for heating said pipe, said drum compartments communicating below said outlet pipes, with the interiors of said chambers, respectively.

4'. ln an incubator', the combination of chambers to be heated, a drum located between said chambers, said drinn being provided in its opposite vxalls, adjacent the upper ends thereof, with a series of pipes opening into the drum and at their outer ends opening into said chamber, said pipes being located along said drum at spaced intervals, partitioning means dividing said drinn lengthwise into compartments into which the said series of pipes open, respectively, said partitioning means including a pipe located in said drum and extending lengthwise thereof and closed to the interior of said drinn, heating means for heating said pipe, said drinn compartments communicating below said outlet pipes, with the interiors of said chambers, respectively, and means for separately controlling the discharge of the heated air from said firstreferred-to pipes into said chambers.

5. In an incubator, the combination of a plurality of chambers to be heated, a substantially horizontally disposed drum located between said chambers and extending substantially completely across the latter and lprovided with series of outlets in opposite walls thereof opening into said chambers, respectively, partitioning means in said drum and extending lengthwise thereof dividing the latter into compartments into which said series of outlets open, respectively, said partitioning means including` a pi pe which extends substantially the full length of said drinn, said pipe being ont of coinmunication with said drinn, and a heater connniniieating with said pipe, said pipe having an outlet.

(3. ln an incubator, the combination of a plurality of chambers to be heated, a substantially horizontally disposed drum located between said chambers extending substantially completely across the latter, said drum being provided in its opposite walls, adjacent the upper ends thereof, with a series of pipes opening into the drinn and at their outer ends opening into said chamber, said pipes being located along said drum at spaced intervals, partitioning means in said drum and extending lengthwise thereof dividing the latter lengthwise into compartments into which the said series of pipes open, respectively, said partitioning means including a pipe located in said drinn and extending substantially the full length of said drinn, said pipe being closed to the interior of said drum, and a heater communicating with said pipe, said pipe having an outlet, and said drinn compartments communicating below said outlet pipes, with the interiors of said chambers, respectively.

7. ln an incubator, the combination of a chamber to be heated, a substantially horizontally-disposed drum extending siibstantially completely across said chamber and having a plurality of outlets at different points along the drinn and opening into said chamber and having an inlet, a heater and a pipe `in said drum and out of communication therewith, said pipe extending substantially the full length of said drinn, said lpipe being in communication with said heater for the passage therethrough of the products of combustion from said heater and having an outlet, the bottom portion of said drinn being of trough shape for receiving water.

8. ln an incubator, the combination of a chamber lto be hea-ted, a .drinn extending substantially completely across said chamber and provided with a plurality of oiitlet pipes extending therefrom and opening into said chamber adjacent the wall thereof opposite said drum and in spaced-apart relation, said drinn containing an opening communicating with the interior of said chamber adjacent the bottom of the latter, and means for heating the contents of said drum. j

9. ln an incubator, the combination of a. chamber to be heated, a substantially horizontally-disposed drinn which constitutes a side wall of said chamber and extends substantially the height of the latter, pipes communicating with said drum and extending laterally therefrom into said chamber adjacent the upper portion of the latter, said pipes being located at different points along said drinn and extending at their oiitlet ends adjacent the wall of said chamber opposite said drinn, said drum containing an opening adjacent the lower end of said chamber and in communication with the latter', and means for heating the contents oif said drum.

10. In an incubator, the combination of a chamber to be heated, a substantially horizontally-disposed drum in communication with said chamber and containing an inlet, and means for heating the contents of said drum, the bottom portion of said drum being of trough shape and adapted to retain a body of water therein for moistening the air.

JOHN G. POORMAN.

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